Boat.



PATENTED OCT. 31, 1905.

J. P. GONKLING.

BOAT.

APPLICATION FILED MAY4, 1905.

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WM?VENHMHU v WIT/VETS? V A TTORNEYS JOHN F. OONKLING, OF HAWLEY,PENNSYLVANIA.

BOAT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 31, 1905.

Application filed May 4, 1905. Serial No. 258,770.

' T0 aZZ 1071,0111, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN F. GoNKLINe, acitizen of the United States,residing at Hawley, in the county of Wayne and State of Pennsylvania,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boats, of which thefollowing is a specification, such as will enable those skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to boats, and particularly boats of thecanoeclass; and the object thereof is to provide an improved boat ofthis class which is particularly designed for use in playing a game ofwater or canoe polo, a further object being to provide a knockdown boatwhich may be easily and conveniently taken apart and compactly foldedfor shipment and other purposes and which is simple in construction andwhich may be employed for many of the purposes for which light and smallboats are intended.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, ofwhich the accompanying drawings form a part, in which the separate partsof my improvement are designated by suitable reference characters ineach of the views, and in which Figure 1 is a plan view of my improvedboat complete'with part of the construction being broken away; Fig. 2, asimilar view showing the supplemental or false bottom with which theboat is provided removed; Fig. 3, a longitudinal section on the line 3 3of Fig. 1, and Fig. eta transverse section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

The body portion a of my improved boat is composed of canvas or othersuitable flexible and waterproof material, and said body portion is heldin shape by an inner longitudinal keel-rod 5, top side rods 0, andtransverse knees or ribs d.

The top side and end portions of the canvas or other flexible materialwhich forms the body portion of the boat is folded inwardly anddownwardly, as shown at a and stitched along the bottom edge thereof, asas shown at (0 said bottom edge extending, inthe form of constructionshown, downwardly about half-way of the sides and ends of the boat, andaround the top portion at the sides and ends is formed a pocket at toreceive the top side rod 0, this pocket being formed by stitching, asshown at a The top side rods 0 are each composed of two parts dividedcentrally of the boat, and the ends thereof are curved inwardly, asshown at 0 and also preferably curved upwardly, and the top side pocketsof the boat are provided with openings at 0*, through which the separateparts of the rod care inserted in opposite directions into the pocketsto, and the separate parts of the top side rods 0 are connected bysleeves 0". The keel-rod Z) is also composed of two parts connectedcentrally by a sleeve 6 and the ends thereof are curved upwardly, asshown at I2 and inserted into pockets o at the opposite ends of theboat, formed by stitching the canvas or other material, and said keel-rod 7) or the separate parts thereof are bent to form upwardly-directedloops If, in which the transverse knees or ribs cl fit.

The transverse ribs or knees (Z are curved upwardly at the ends thereofand are inserted into pockets formed by stitching the double layers ofcanvas or other material at the top of the side portions of the body,and when the top side rods 0, the bottom keel-rod b, and the ribs orknees (i are placed in position as herein described the flexible bodyportion of the boat will be held in proper shape and form and will begiven all the necessary strength.

I also provide a supplemental bottom a, which consists of a suitableboard, preferably composed of two parts hinged together centrally, asindicated at 6 and which is placed on the bottom keel-rod Z), and thetransverse knees or ribs (Z, as clearly shown in the drawing, and thebottom thereof is recessed to receive the keel-rod, and the transverseribs or knees (Z and the sides thereof are provided with side members 0which are hinged-thereto, as shown at e, and the supplemental bottom 9forms a safe tread and support for the occupant of the boat and preventsany strain being thrown onto the flexible main or outer bottom thereof,while the side members 6 which are hinged to the bottom 6, also protectthe sides of the boat centrally thereof, and said side members may beextended the full length of the supplemental bottom 6, if desired; butin the construction herein shown and described they are made shorterthan said supplemental bottom.

My improved boat when made for the purpose of playing the game ofcanoe-polo, as hereinbefore specified, is preferably made about six feetlong and two feet wide; but it will be understood that the said boat maybe made of any desired dimensions, and although I have described thefolded portions of the canvas as being stitched together and the pocketswhich receive the ends of the keel-rod and the cross knees or ribs andin which the side rods 0 are inserted as being formed by stitching itwill be apparent that the folded parts of the canvas may be securedtogether and said pockets may be formed in any desired manner.

A boat made in this manner may, as will be understood, be made of anydesired strength and may be taken to pieces and compactly foldedwhenever necessary for transportation or similar purposes and may alsobe used for fishing purposes, exploration purposes, and wherever lightand strong boats are necessary or desirable.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A boat, the body portion of which is composed offlexible material andprovided at the top of the side and end portions thereof with pockets,the opposite sides of the boat being also provided with transverselyarranged pockets, top side rods composed of separate parts inserted intothe top side pockets centrally of the boat and the opposite ends ofwhich are curved inwardly, and the adjacent ends thereof rigidlyconnected, a bottom keelrod placed longitudinally of the bottom oftheboat and the opposite ends of which are curved upwardly and insertedinto the pockets at the opposite ends of the boat, said bottom keelrodsbeing also composed of separate parts rigidly connected, and transverseribs or knees the ends of which are curved upwardly and inserted intotop transverse pockets in the opposite sides of the boat, substantiallyas shown.

and described.

2. A boat, the body portion of which is composed of flexible materialand provided at the top of the side and end portions thereof withpockets, the'opposite sides of the boat being also provided withtransversely arranged pockets, top side rods composed of separate partsinserted into the top side pockets centrally of the boat and theopposite ends of which are curved inwardly, and the adjacent endsthereof rigidly connected, a bottom keelrod placed longitudinally of thebottom of the boat and the oppositeends of which are curved upwardly andinserted into the pockets at the opposite ends of the boat, said bottomkeelrods being also composed of separate parts. rigidly connected, andtransverse ribs or knees the ends of which are curved upwardly andinserted into top transverse pockets in the opposite sides of the boat,said boat being also provided with a supplemental bottom which rests onthe bottom keel-rod and transverse ribs or knees, substantially as shownand described.

3. A boat, the body portion of which is composed of flexible materialand provided at the top of the side and end portions thereof withpockets, the opposite sides of the boat being also provided withtransversely arranged pockets, top side rods composed of separatepartsinserted into the top side pockets centrally of the boat and theopposite ends of which are curved inwardly, and the adjacent endsthereof rigidly connected, a bottom keelrod placed longitudinally of thebottom of the boat and the opposite ends of which are curved upwardlyand inserted into the pockets at the opposite ends of the boat, saidbottom keelrod being also composed of separate parts rigidly connectedand transverse ribs or knees the ends of which are curved upwardly andinserted into transverse pockets in the opposite sides of the boat, saidboat being also provided with a supplemental'bottom which rests on thebottom keel-rod and transverse ribs or knees, and which is composed oftwo parts hinged together, substantially as shown and described.

4:. A boat, the body portion of which is composed of flexible materialand provided at the top of the side and end portions thereof withpockets, the opposite sides of the boat being also provided withtransversely arranged pockets, top side rods composed of separate partsinserted into the top side pockets centrally of the boat and theopposite ends of which are curved inwardly, and the adjacent endsthereof rigidly connected, a bottom keelrod placed longitudinally of thebottom of the boat and the opposite ends of which are curved upwardlyand inserted into the pockets at the opposite ends of the boat, saidbottom keelrod being also composed of separate parts rigidly connectedand transverse ribs or knees the ends of which are curved upwardly andinserted into transverse pockets in the opposite sides of the boat, saidboat being also provided with a supplemental bottom which rests on thebottom keel-rod and transverse ribs or knees and the opposite sides ofwhich are also provided with hinged side members, substantially as shownand described.

In testimony that'I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 2d day of May,1905.

. JOHN F. OONKLING. Witnesses:

DANIEL BINGHAM, ALFRED K. KILLAM.

